Business cases for First Nations’ venues in Cairns and Brisbane

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Far North

| Nick Dalton PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk

envisages that First Nations cultural centres in Cairns and Brisbane will act as hubs, connecting First Nations communities across the state, including a network of Indigenous art centres and other significant sites and locations throughout Queensland.

She said a Cairns centre could also act as a significant regional link connecting to the proposed First Nations Cultural Centre in Brisbane and would share and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts, cultures, and heritage from across Far North Queensland to larger audiences.

“This centre will provide Queenslanders and visitors a deeper view of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures here in the Far North, and reaffirm our government’s commitment platforming their important stories,” she said.

“Cairns is an ideal home for a new First Nations Cultural Centre – it is a gateway to the Reef and the rainforest, both of which flour- ish under the custodianship of our First Nations people. I’m proud our government can make this announcement, as we continue to walk the Path to Treaty hand in hand with First Nations Queenslanders.”

Arts Minister Leeanne Enoch said a First Nations person would be appointed to lead to develop a framework to guide consultation and other packages of work to deliver the business case for both centres.

‘First Nation-led engagement with Traditional Owners and Indigenous arts and cultural stakeholders across Queensland remains a priority throughout the consideration of the business case development for the First Nations cultural centres,” she said.

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said the potential creation of a First Nations Cultural Centre in Cairns would be “a huge win for the city and for Far North Queensland more broadly”.

Member for Barron River Craig Crawford said it made “sense to build a world-class indigenous cultural centre in Cairns given we have such a rich and deep connection to culture and country in the Far North.”